A Christmas Story
| runtime = 93 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $3.2 million | gross = $19.3 million }} A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, with some elements derived from Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. It was directed by Bob Clark. The film has since become a holiday classic in the United States and is shown numerous times on television during the Christmas season, usually on the networks owned by Turner Broadcasting. Since 1997, a A Christmas Story marathon has aired on either TNT or TBS, comprising twelve consecutive airings of the film and beginning at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The film earned director Clark two Genie Awards. In 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Plot Nine-year-old Ralphie Parker wants only one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and "this thing which tells time", a sundial. Ralphie's desire is rejected by his mother, his teacher Miss Shields, and even a department store Santa Claus, all giving him the same warning: "You'll shoot your eye out". Christmas morning arrives and Ralphie dives into his presents. Although he does receive some presents he enjoys, Ralphie ultimately is disappointed that he did not receive the one thing he wanted more than anything. After it appears all of the presents have been opened, Ralphie's father, who is referred to throughout the film as "The Old Man", directs Ralphie to look at one last present that he had hidden. Ralphie opens it to reveal the Red Ryder gun he wanted. Ralphie takes the gun outside and fires it at a target perched on a metal sign in the backyard. However, the BB ricochets back at Ralphie and knocks his glasses off. While searching for them, thinking he has indeed shot his eye out, Ralphie accidentally steps on his glasses and breaks them. In order to cover for the fact that he accidentally broke his glasses, Ralphie tells his mother that a falling icicle was responsible for the accident. His mother, not having seen what actually happened, believes him. The film ends with Ralphie lying in bed on Christmas night with his gun by his side. A voiceover by an adult Ralphie states that this was the best present he had ever received or would ever receive. Cast * Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker * Jean Shepherd as adult Ralphie (voice) * Ian Petrella as Randy Parker * Melinda Dillon as Mrs. Parker * Darren McGavin as Mr. Parker (The Old Man) * Scott Schwartz as Flick * R. D. Robb as Schwartz * Zack Ward as Scut Farkus * Yano Anaya as Grover Dill * Tedde Moore as Miss Shields * Jeff Gillen as Santa Claus Category:1980s comedy films Category:American films Category:American Christmas films Category:American comedy films Category:Films set in Indiana Category:Films set in the 1940s Category:Films shot in Cleveland Category:Films shot in Toronto Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Category:United States National Film Registry films Category:Works by Jean Shepherd Category:Films directed by Bob Clark Category:Adaptations of works by Jean Shepherd Category:Films with opening credits Category:Films with instrumental credit music Category:Blockbusters Category:Films with two distributors Category:Warner Bros. films Category:Turner Pictures films Category:1980s films Category:Rated PG movies Category:Warner Bros. Family Entertainment films Category:Films with narration